Ahead of her 60th birthday next month, Denise Welch has penned a candid letter to her 16-year-old self, advising her of the pitfalls that she would ultimately face. She has touched up her mental health journey, the birth of her son - lead singer of The 1975, Matty Healy - as well as her divorce from actor Tim Healy, and finding love again with artist Lincoln Townley. Shared in Happiful Magazine, the 59-year-old confessed that the "greatest love of all" is Lincoln, whom she married in 2013.
She wrote: "Don't worry about not finding love again… You will find the greatest love of all in your 50s. You probably think that’s a bit gross at 16, but believe me, it's a love like no other. And he'll be a young'un! Together you will be strong and defeat your demons as one." Denise confessed that the marriage has proved strong and that they have worked through alcohol issues together - both having successfully ditched the booze from their lives.
The former Coronation Street star, who married Lincoln in 2013, first identified her pastpartum psychosis and clinical depression following the birth of her son, Matty. She continued: "I wish I could prevent the depression that will descend after childbirth. But you must realise that this is an illness like any other. Be as kind to yourself as possible. Take time off work - they’ll survive without you. Don't self-medicate. It will take you down a very long, dark road and it’s very hard to find your way home."
She continued: "Your 'unwelcome visitor' will continue to make uninvited calls, but he will always leave and your life in between will be happy, fulfilling, rewarding and most of all, full of love. You're a tough cookie, and I'm proud of who you are now and who you will become." Last year, Denise and Lincoln filmed a short film on depression as part of Heads Together, the campaign spearheaded by Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry in a bid to change the way we talk about mental health.
MORE: Denise Welch, 59, wows fans as she strips down to bikini
